Ancient Olympia - 2024

Ancient Olympia. Oliver Pilz (University of Mainz) and Andreas Vött (University of Mainz) report on a synergasia between the Ephorate of Antiquities of Elis and the DAI, directed by Erofili-Iris Kolia.

Aong the north–south course of the Roman Altis Wall, a test trench was excavated to date the wall more precisely. Even though no pottery was discovered, the deep foundations of the wall were documented for the first time, suggesting it was of a considerable height (Fig. 1). In the south, an older trench on the Cladeos Wall was extended northward, revealing that the wall was composed of four courses of monumental stone blocks, reaching a preserved height of 2.80m (Fig . 2). A gravel layer adjacent to the lowest layer on the Cladeos side suggests it was a retaining embankment, perhaps part of early canalization. The geoarchaeological and geophysical work focused on the Cladeos Channel, west of this wall. Electrical resistivity survey revealed a ca. 25–30m-wide channel bounded by two walls and filled with sandy and gravelly sediments. As confirmed by core samples, this likely represents a later phase in the canalization process.